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How do I get rid of sugar-eating ants?

Question: I am writing to get a quote. I have the tiny black/brown ants, the sugar-eating kind. I have been finding them all over my house. I have cleaned and tried many other options to get rid of them. My question for you is how much would it cost for you guys to get rid of them? I do have a dog and a cat, so I also want to make sure they are safe. I have an 1100-sq.-foot house on a crawl space. Can you help?

Answer: The small black ants you have seen may be ”odorous house ants.” They typically nest outdoors. They make trails along the outside of windows and eaves of houses to enter kitchen areas to forage for various food materials. They are strong trail followers, so you may be able to see them outside and see where they are coming into the house.

labeled pictures of odorous house ants

It is important to locate the nest, search the entry points and continue cleaning up as part of an inclusive program. Ant control is difficult and often requires follow-up visits. This service is best left to a professional Pest Specialist.

Call your local Orkin Pest Control Branch Office and a highly trained Orkin Pest Control Specialist will come to your home.

It is not easy to provide estimates without visiting your home. After a thorough inspection and an assessment of your situation, the Pest Specialist will develop a customized solution for your problem using scientifically proven methods. Your Orkin Pest Specialist will be able to give you pricing information, as this can vary depending on what is encountered.

Related Questions

Orkin used the information above to also answer the following questions submitted by Orkin.com users:

Question: I have seen two types of ants in my apartment … trails of small black ants in my kitchen, and the occasional large black ant. What can I do to get rid of them?

Question: Hi there! We have had an ant problem for about the past three weeks or so. They are small black ants, and they show up in the kitchen, the family room, my son’s room. They seem to get everywhere. How are they getting in and how can we get rid of them? I was told that a lot of people on the eastern shore of Maryland have this problem. Why? Please help!

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